HS Trick Play

[RadioBlue]

I saw a variation of this in one of my games.

R2 on 2B. The catcher came up firing as if he were making a pick-off throw to 2nd base after a pitch. The throw was right at the left shoulder of the pitcher who non-chalantly gloves that throw while the middle infielders dive for the non-existent ball and the outfielders go chasing nothing. Pitcher moves toward third as if to be the backup ... which absolutely sells the play! Meantime R2 and 3B coach buy into the ruse and the coach waves R2 toward 3B ... where the pitcher is waiting for him and makes a tag.

The best part is the team that got duped was giving me trouble all game. Their coach was a real @$$ and one of their players had decided earlier in the game they didn't want to be there anymore.

Ran into the opposing coach later and he told me they practiced that play everyday during workouts, but they had never run it in a game before. As he told me, "Then again, I never came across a coach I wanted to run it on until today."

[Rita C]

Originally Posted by RadioBlue

Ran into the opposing coach later and he told me they practiced that play everyday during workouts, but they had never run it in a game before. As he told me, "Then again, I never came across a coach I wanted to run it on until today."

Love it

Rita

[JR12]

Great story.

[bigjohn]

If the defense is yelling get the ball or something like that, does this play become verbal obstruction?

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by bigjohn

If the defense is yelling get the ball or something like that, does this play become verbal obstruction?

No. The offense has a responsibility to know the location of the ball.

[jchamp]

Originally Posted by bigjohn

If the defense is yelling get the ball or something like that, does this play become verbal obstruction?

To make a call of obstruction, I have to ask myself "What are they obstructing?" The offense is not being tricked into stopping their run. They are running completely under their own effort and with no impediment to their progress. They made horrible base-running decisions.

[MD Longhorn]

Verbal obstruction? No such thing. Can't even imagine such a thing.

[Steven Tyler]

I believe it is in the FED rule set.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by bigjohn

If the defense is yelling get the ball or something like that, does this play become verbal obstruction?

As long as the defense doesn't yell "back, go, that was a foul ball" or something that is actually directed to the offense, there is no verbal obstruction. The defense yelling, "Get the ball!" is not directed to the offense and as another said, it is the offense's job to know the game situation and where the ball is. Add to that, the base coaches should be on their toes looking at what is going on.

This play is 100% legal.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Dave, I disagree that this case is relevantly similar. 2.22.1A is a case where the runner is advancing and the defense (verbally) attempts to STOP his advance. That is correctly ruled obstruction because the advance has been hindered.

The Miami fake pickoff is legal deception intended to induce a runner to BEGIN his advance. This is not obstruction and is legal at all levels.

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

As long as the defense doesn't yell "back, go, that was a foul ball" or something that is actually directed to the offense, there is no verbal obstruction. The defense yelling, "Get the ball!" is not directed to the offense and as another said, it is the offense's job to know the game situation and where the ball is. Add to that, the base coaches should be on their toes looking at what is going on.

This play is 100% legal.

+1000

I have been arguing these two points till I'm blue in the fingers on another board. I will just add that the difference between Verbal Interference (2-21-1) and Verbal Obstruction (2-22-1), is that for VI, confusing the defense is illegal, whereas VO, confusing the offense is not illegal. Trick plays are legal. To be Verbal Obstruction, the obstruction must be in relation to 5-1-3 or 8-3-2, which is in relation to during an intentional walk, when awarding bases to runners, or when a runner is hindered advancing or returning to their base. Trick plays, such as the fake pickoff in this case, or the hidden ball trick, etc., are NOT illegal under any rule set.